Page 102 of Mr. Dangerous

"That's enough,"Robsaid.

"Don't tell me you don't still love her,"Rebeccasaid.

I could almost feel Rob's irritation from here. I turned and saw him take a long sip of his Scotch. His eyes were on the tile, not meeting Rebecca'striumphantgaze.

Alice leaned in close to me. She smelled like powder and lipstick and hair spray when she stood so close. "I need to talktoyou."

I knew, then, deep in my heart that things were going hopelessly sideways with Rob. There was a cold weight of dread in my stomach as I followed Alice into the dim, cavernous quiet of thegarage.

Alice shut the door behind us, and the sound of music and laughter faded. "I don't want to ruin your night. But Ican't--"

"It's the cats' night," I said. "Noworries."

Alice hesitated, rubbing her hand over her rogued cheek. I knew my sister well enough to know that whatever the bad news, Alice would ultimately deliver it bluntly, andshedid.

"RobkissedKate."

"They used to do a lot more than kiss, I'm sure," I said. My voice sounded surprisingly strong, given how my head was suddenlyspinning.

"This afternoon."Alicesaid.

I nodded. "Did youseeit?"

"No," Alice said. "I heard about it. You're...takingitwell."

"Whotoldyou?"

"Rebecca."

"Okay," I said. "Thank you fortellingme."

"Mi--"

"I'm fine," I promised, cuttingheroff.

Fine.Fineinvolved my knees trembling under that beautiful dress, hands that shook with anger, and a faint distant rushing of sound of blood through my ears. Sometimes in my life, I had looked at a magazine photo of a beautiful woman, impeccably dressed, and wondered how anyone could be sad when they were so lovely. It seemed like life shouldn’t handle someone so beautiful quite so roughly as life sometimeshandledme.

But now I thought of the slick pages and I thought of how I'd looked in the mirror a few hours before, all done up for the gala. And I knew that money and beauty aside, everyone felt equally fucked-up on theinside.

Alice reached to hug me, her eyes sad, and I side-stepped. "I'm fine. I need to be fine for all of tonight. To get through the gala. Later, okay? We'll go back to my house and I'll cry into mytulle."

"I'll be there when you're ready," Alicepromised.

"Just... give me a minute here,wouldyou?"

I knew Alice didn't like it, but Alice went reluctantly up the steps to the door to the garage. For a second, lights and noise filled my sliver of the garage; then it was all muted again. I was alone in the murky light. The band played faintly in thedistance.

I was grateful that I didn't feel like crying. Not yet. What I mostly felt was pissed off. And embarrassed. Because Rob had saiddon't fall in love with meand I had said it to him, too, but only one of us had ever really been in danger of getting lost in thisrelationship.

I smoothed my hands over the dress that hugged my curves and took several long, slow breaths. I could do this. I would go back in there, be gracious and smiling and calm and avoid Rob as best I could. I could thank everyone who came and do my part with the fundraising. This night was never supposed to beaboutme.

The door opened, and I thought it was Alice. I turned impatiently, about to scold my sister for worrying about me when I just needed a second tobreathe.

But Rebecca stood at the top of the steps, wearing a gray dress that contrasted with her tanned skin, looking, as usual, like a model for the AARPmagazine.

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for Rebecca to say something awful. I didn't doubt that Rob had kissed Kate— as much as I wished I could— but I did know that Rebecca had wanted to make sure I found out. That was about as contemptible as Rob kissing anotherwoman.

"I'm sorry,"Rebeccasaid.

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